Posted on: 07 Oct, 2012
Last Updated on: 07 Oct, 2012


Eli Sloutskin from Karne-Shomron, Israel asked if any of our readers recognize people on this picture.

Eli's grandmother, Tzilya (Mikhlin) Sloutskin (1911-1994) was born in Klimovichi , later lived in Moscow, and in 1991 moved to Israel where she died. She was born into the family of Avraam-Simcha Mikhlin (1874-1927) and his second wife Bassya/Berta Lokshin (?-?). There were 6 other children in the family.

Avram-Simcha Michlin was born in Pryanichek, a village in Hotovizh `volost` of Klimovicheski `uezd`. Before 1917 Avraam-Simcha Mikhlin had his own successful fabric business in Klimovichi. According to the family story, he even got a permission to go for business trips to Lodz, Poland which was outside of the pale of settlement.

After the revolution, he worked as a shepherd till his death in 1927. His family though continued to be involved in the sales of fabric and clothes.

Avraam-Simcha had also two children Moisey Mikhlin and Nehama-Riva (Mikhlin) ? with his first wife, Pesya ? (1875-1902) , daughter of Mordechai. They left Klimovichi much earlier and are not in this picture.

Are we related? - The birth place of hazan Abram Mikhlin (1850?-1919) is the village of Shumyachi near Klimovichi. Shumyachi is in a very close proximity to the village of Hotovizh/Pryanichek.

It is well documented on this website that direct descendants of hazan Abram Mikhlin lived in Klimovichi in 1920s and 1930s. But the question remains if or how Avraam-Simcha Mikhlin (1874-1927) is related to them and hazan Abram Mikhlin, the originator of our own extended Mikhlin family.

Click to enlarge
Family of Avraam-Simcha Mikhlin (1874-1927), Klimovichi, 1927




back row (left to right)
  • Evgeniya (Mikhlin) ? (?-?)
  • Tzilya (Mikhlin) Sloutskin (1911-1994), Eli`s grandmother
  • Liza (Mikhlin) ? (?-?)
front row (left to right)
  • Borya ? (husband of Ida Mikhlin)
  • Ida Mikhlin ? (?-?)
  • mother Basya/Berta (?-?) (Lokshina) Mikhlin, second wife of Avraam-Simcha Mikhlin (1874-1927)
  • patriarch Avraam-Simcha Mikhlin (1874-1927)
  • Yakov Mikhlin (?-?)
Evgeniya, Tzilya, Liza, Ida, and Yakov are children of Avraam-Simcha.